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The man also is accused of lassoing his 13-year-old son after overhearing a private conversation between the two boys.
A man in Washington State is under arrest after he was accused of tying a noose around the neck of a 14-year-old boy who moments earlier revealed he is gay, Seattle TV station KIRO reports. Police also say the man used the same rope to tie his 13-year-old biological son around the torso.
Joseph Sweeney, 38, of Bremerton, was taken into custody by deputies with the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office on Monday. He is charged with a hate crime and two counts of second-degree assault for the incident at his residence.
The older boy was visiting his friend, Sweeney's son, at the Sweeney residence, according to court documents seen by KIRO. Sweeney overheard a private conversation where the older boy discussed being gay. Sweeney then reportedly confronted the teen, asking if he was gay.
“Yes, is it a crime to be gay in this house?” the boy reportedly responded.
Sweeney grabbed a rope and secured it around the boy’s neck, according to authorities. He subsequently used the same rope to lasso his son’s midsection after chasing him inside the residence, they say. Police allege Sweeney used his cell phone to videotape his harassment of the two boys, including urging them to kiss in a deliberate attempt to humiliate the two.
The older boy left and returned to his home. He revealed the incident to his mother, who quickly alerted the authorities.
Sweeney denied he assaulted his son or son’s friend.
Sweeney’s son and Thorne Tolliver, the son's stepfather, downplayed the incident when they spoke with reporters following the arrest.
Tolliver, who also resides with Sweeney and his son, said he understood the public’s concern and admitted that “a rope was involved” but described the incident as “play” and said the rope was never tightened.
Sweeney’s son also confirmed the official account of events by police but he too downplayed the events.
“No, he didn’t assault us,” the son said. “Apparently, a hate crime was [sic] happened, but it didn’t.”
The older boy’s mother, however, strongly disagreed with attempts to minimize the incident’s severity, describing the ordeal as horrible and telling KIRO that no child should be subjected to such abuse.
During their search of the residence, deputies found a handgun and ammunition, which Sweeney admitted to owning in violation of an order in a prior domestic assault case.
Sweeney was arraigned on Tuesday, where bail was set at $25,000.
